Pasta with ricotta is classic Italian comfort food and a simple dinner meal made with only two ingredients that the whole family will love. Serve with a side salad or cooked vegetable of your choice for a complete meal.
Pasta with ricotta is a dish I grew up eating and then forgot about for several years and it wasn’t until a friend told me she was having it for dinner that I remembered it. I made it for my kids and they love it and ask for it on occasion. It is a great recipe to make when you want something different or short on time since it comes together in less than 20 minutes.
Ricotta is a soft, creamy and mild cheese that is often paired with pasta. This simple dinner recipe is a classic Italian meal. While there are different variations of this dish, you can add vegetables like spinach or broccoli or some lemon zest, I find the simple and classic version the best.
This meal only takes minutes to prepare and is best enjoyed right away. Leftovers can be reheated but may get a bit dry. You an save some extra pasta water to add to keep the pasta creamy.
Pasta with ricotta is hardly a recipe – all you have to do is prepare pasta according to package directions and be sure to generously salt the water. Before draining the pasta, be sure to save at least a cup of starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and place the ricotta into the hot pot along with some pasta water and give it a quick mix before adding the drained pasta back into the pot. Mix it all up and then add more pasta water as needed to create a creamy and rich sauce.
Pasta with ricotta is typically made with a long pasta like spaghetti but it also works well with short corkscrew like pasta where there is lots of area for the area for the ricotta to cling too.
Ricotta options:
If you are lucky enough to get your hands on fresh ricotta, it tastes amazing and works great with this pasta but any store-bought variety you like will work. Different brands of ricotta may have slightly different flavour and moisture levels but they all work, just pick one you enjoy the most.
Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb spaghetti
- 1 cup of your favourite ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare spaghetti according to package directions and your preference (al dente or softer). Before draining the pasta, reserve at least one cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and before adding it back to the pot, add the ricotta and about ½ cup of the pasta water. Whisk to combine. Add the pasta back to the pot and mix well. Add more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
2 Responses
Anyone who loves ricotta should try this. Unbelievably easy, great way to use up some ricotta and tastes so good. This is a dinner dish that I make on repeat. Everyone loves it too.
forgot to give it a 5 star rating!